Jonas Valanciunas Clears The Air About Nuggets, Panathinaikos

“The idea of playing for Panathinaikos, closer to home, was very exciting to me, but that will have to wait. I am fully committed to honoring my contract with the Nuggets this season and will give it my all to compete for a championship.”

What Happened?

Valanciunas’s contract dispute, for lack of a better term, wasn’t difficult to understand.

A 13-year NBA veteran, he’s played for three teams in just the past two seasons. He hasn’t played more than three consecutive seasons with any franchise since being traded by the Toronto Raptors in 2018-19. So, tired of the journeyman lifestyle, returning home to Europe had a certain appeal for the Lithuanian.

Perhaps expecting to reach a buyout with the Sacramento Kings, Valanciunas then entered contract negotiations with Panathinaikos. By all accounts, both parties expected him to be playing in the EuroLeague in 2025-26. However, the Kings traded Valanciunas to the Nuggets, who strongly preferred to keep him. After years of trying to find a suitable backup for centerpiece Nikola Jokic, Valanciunas certainly looked the part.

What He Can Bring To The Mile High

Like Jokic, Valanciunas is gigantic, and excels at crashing the glass. Though he’s obviously not on the three-time NBA MVP’s level, he’s also skilled, capable of scoring from all three levels and creating for others. He’s not only serious about the game but he’s tough. Last but not least, because Jokic has a soft spot for his fellow Europeans, their chemistry could benefit the locker room.

It remains to be seen just how well Valanciunas will fit in Denver. However, on paper, it looks like it should work out.